Running Thoughts
by Kitera
Summary: Drabble-esque series on the kids thoughts and feelings of having to remain on the run after The Reckoning ends. Possible spoilers for The Reckoning if you haven't read it. R&R Derek/Chloe in their respective parts of the series.
1. Chloe

**A/N:** This is the first in a short series of slightly interconnected drabbles I plan on writing. Most will have to deal with how the kids deal with having to continue running after crippling the Edison Group. This one in particular has to do with Chloe's thoughts on it, fairly soon after they all decide to stick together.

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**Running Thoughts  
**_by Kitera_

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Two months ago this was not how I imagined my life being. I never would have thought that I would end up on the run. Not just from the Edison Group for a period of time, but quite possibly forever. For now it was the best that we could do, any of us. Simon and Derek were reunited with their father though, and I have my aunt. But there are days where I'm tired of all the running. The only thing that keeps me going these days is having Derek with me. Aunt Lauren still doesn't approve but she has stopped trying to keep us apart. The Edison Group is in disarray, but that doesn't mean any of us are safe, and I have resigned myself to that fact. For the time being all that matters though is that we are all together and mostly safe. For now that is enough; that and our mission. Seeking out and informing the other souped up supernaturals of the Genesis II project about what they really are.


	2. Derek

**A/N:** Here is the second drabble. This one is from Derek's point of view and like he has shown himself to be in the series it focuses heavily on how he perceives Chloe handling their current situation. I think it is worth mentioning that while initially this was going to be almost entirely entries/chapters that were under 500 words there is one scene that fits quite nicely within this framework that will quite possibly be around 750 words if not longer once I write it. Hopefully I'll be able to get to that in a couple chapters or so because it's such an intriguing idea. In the meantime however enjoy Derek.

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**Running Thoughts  
**_by Kitera  
_Chapter Two: Derek

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There were days, strange awkward and horrible as they were, where I still thought that putting Chloe in danger was selfish. It was selfish; I knew this right down to the very core of my being. But the wolf inside me won't listen to any of that. She's mine for as long as time stands, that's all it knows and will listen to. Irrational to think, but then animals are seldom rational. It's just all the running, she hides it sort of well, but she can't hide that from me. I've spent far too much time watching her, I know her. She wants nothing more than to be able to stay in a single place for more than a few weeks or a month at a time. Something that I can't say I want all that much but I'd try; for her.

Growing up always moving has left the idea of staying somewhere for a long time feeling foreign. The actual action of staying in one place for extended periods makes me nervous. A learned personality trait that I doubt will be changing anytime soon, likewise I don't see Chloe growing accustomed to this lifestyle anytime soon and it makes me and the wolf part of me wish that we could take off and just pretend to be normal. Even if it could only be for a couple hours.


	3. Tori

**A/N:** So this is a little longer than the last two chapters. This is actually double the length of the previous chapter. And it's almost entirely dialogue since I had this strange idea that Kit or Lauren bought the kids a video camera to share so they could make video diaries or something like that. In Tori's case it is a video diary and that is how the chapter opens. This is also written in first person rather than third like the previous chapters. For those who are wondering will Simon ever make an appearance, no worries he makes a cameo in this chapter. I'm planning on the next one being from Simon's perspective. And I will probably be editing the first two chapters to be in first person over the next couple days. Should be uniform right? Anyway I have blathered on long enough. So this is Tori, enjoy.

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**Running Thoughts  
**_by Kitera_

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**Chapter Three**

"It's hard watching them - the dweeb gang. God I wish that for just one minute they could stop acting like everything is just fine. It's sort of funny that I, the _formerly_ popular one can't fit in with them. Actually it really isn't funny; ironic, but not funny.

Simon's dad is a jerk too. If it weren't for Chloe, I know I wouldn't still be tagging along like an extra and unwanted wheel to the little posse. He completely floated by me afterward. It was all just a big joke for him to ask me to stay with them. Enough moping, Enright's don't mope and we most definitely don't cry. So I killed my mom she was a bitch. It was necessary…wasn't it?

I sort of thought it would be nice to tag along with them on their journey to get the word out to the rest of the Genesis II project. How wrong was I. Just about every moment of our little trip is built around keeping Chloe hidden and no freedom for the rest of us. No freedom.

God listen to me, whining away like some six year old with a skinned knee that wants her mommy. I don't want my mommy; I just want everyone to be realistic. That half a million dollar reward for Chloe isn't going to go away. We aren't ever going to be completely free of the Cabals. We can keep moving but one day one of them will find us. Just a touch of realism, that isn't too much to ask, is it?"

There's a knock at the door, "Hey are you done with the camera?"

"Yeah hold on Chloe, just a couple more minutes." I turn back to the camera.

"Okay, we're packing up. Kit doesn't think we can stay her much longer."

I roll my eyes into the camera. I want to go into a tirade at the camera lens about Kit never thinks we can stay anywhere. Instead I stare at it for another moment or two, sigh and press the record button so it stops tapping. Standing I press eject at the same time and pop my tape for my video diary out of it and slip the cassette into the pocket of my jeans.

I walk by Chloe as I walk toward my half packed bag. I was packing and then I couldn't take it and had to slip into the bathroom for a moment. I don't typically make a video entry often, only now and again but this was the second time we'd moved from one cheap motel to another in three days. I was getting fed up.

"Here's your camera." I mumble softly as I go back to my bag and finish shoving my second hand clothes into it. The only thing that had changed since we escaped was that now we had belongings. A couple pairs of pants and several t-shirts and some other necessities that we could pack up quick if we needed to.

Simon poked his head into the room through the adjoining door. "You two all set?"

"Of course," I mutter pulling the zipper a little harder than necessary to close the bag.

"Yeah," Chloe echoes coming out of the bathroom with her toothbrush.

"Good."

He turns to go talk to Kit and Lauren and repress the urge to roll my eyes or sigh, or maybe both. I'm not sure. Shouldering my bag I give Chloe the key to our room and go out to the van. We're pretending to be Kit and Lauren's foster kids taking a trip across the country. You know in case the cabals are using local law enforcement to look for us. Possible but I find that unlikely. Sort of.


	4. Simon

**A/N:** So this is the "long awaited" Simon chapter. He's being a broody little thing in this chapter. Hopefully that will change the next time I write from within Simon's head.

**Running Thoughts**

_by Kitera_

**Simon**

We were on the road shortly after Tori snapped at me. Driving along Interstate 91 heading north for the time being. Dad wasn't telling any of us where we were going and it bothered me. Before Derek and I had ended up at Lyle House he'd always told us where we were moving to next. Not this time though and it made me feel out of the loop as I sat there in the middle seat next to the Queen Witch herself.

The back seat was mostly quiet. Tori had her attention diverted by the only portable CD player we had for the moment. We all shared it; I was okay with that...usually. I had my head pressed against the window watching the highway scenery roll by at 70 miles per hour. Every now and again I would make the mistake of looking forward and my eyes would glue themselves to the sight of Derek and Chloe curled up in the backseat of the minivan. I tell myself that I'm not jealous that she picked him, but if I told the truth I'd call myself on the total lie. But what Derek didn't know wouldn't hurt him, it was time that he was happy.

My stomach rumbled as Derek's arm reached over the back of my seat for the picnic basket.

"Can we stop at the next rest stop?" I asked calling attention to us kids in the backseat and disturbing my father's and Dr. Fellow's conversation.

Dad laughed hearing me ask that we stop for food. It wasn't something that I normally did. Usually if anyone asked for food it was Derek's stomach before anyone else. Not that dad was likely to forget to feed any of us, but it seemed my blood sugar had other ideas today.

"Sure."

Tori kicked my foot and I glanced at her. She was staring out the window though so I kicked her foot back and returned to staring out the window. The birds were better entertainment than the ever silent backseat or the soft murmurings of the lovers behind me.


End file.
